[科幻]宿主-第35节

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bulging　eyes；　created　a　familiar　design。　Not　quite　anger。　Intensity。　Irritation。

　“How　often　does　this　happen？”　I　asked；　looking　at　the　Healer　again。

　“Not　often；”　the　Healer　admitted。　“We　have　so　few　full…grown　hosts　available　anymore。　The　immature　
hosts　are　entirely　pliable。　But　you　indicated　that　you　preferred　to　begin　as　an　adult。…”

　“Yes。”

　“Most　requests　are　the　opposite。　The　human　life　span　is　much　shorter　than　you’re　used　to。”

　“I’m　well　versed　in　all　the　facts；　Healer。　Have　you　dealt　with　this…　resistance　before　yourself？”

　“Only　once；　myself。”　

　

　The　Healer　sighed。

　The　Seeker　began　tapping　her　fingers　against　her　arm。　A　sign　of　impatience。　She　did　not　care　to　wait　for　
what　she　wanted。

　“This　occurred　four　years　ago；”　the　Healer　began。　“The　soul　involved　had　requested　an　adult　male　host。　
The　first　one　to　be　available　was　a　human　who　had　been　living　in　a　pocket　of　resistance　since　the　early　
years　of　the　occupation。　The　human…　knew　what　would　happen　when　he　was　caught。”

　“Just　as　my　host　did。”

　“Um；　yes。”　He　cleared　his　throat。　“This　was　only　the　soul’s　second　life。　He　came　from　Blind　World。”

　“Blind　World？”　I　asked；　cocking　my　head　to　the　side　reflexively。

　“Oh；　sorry；　you　wouldn’t　know　our　nicknames。　This　was　one　of　yours；　though；　was　it　not？”　He　pulled　a　
device　from　his　pocket；　a　puter；　and　scanned　quickly。　“Yes；　your　seventh　planet。　In　the　eighty…first　
sector。”

　“BlindWorld？”　I　said　again；　my　voice　now　disapproving。

　“Yes；　well；　some　who　have　lived　there　prefer　to　call　it　the　Singing　World。”

　I　nodded　slowly。　I　liked　that　better。

　“And　some　who’ve　never　been　there　call　it　Planet　of　the　Bats；”　the　Seeker　muttered。

　I　turned　my　eyes　to　her；　feeling　them　narrow　as　my　mind　dredged　up　the　appropriate　image　of　the　ugly　
flying　rodent　she　referred　to。

　“I　assume　you　are　one　who　has　never　lived　there；　Seeker；”　the　Healer　said　lightly。　“We　called　this　soul　
Racing　Song　at　first—it　was　a　loose　translation　of　his　name　on…　the　Singing　World。　But　he　soon　opted　
to　take　the　name　of　his　host；　Kevin。　Though　he　was　slated　for　a　Calling　in　Musical　Performance；　given　his　
background；　he　said　he　felt　more　fortable　continuing　in　the　host’s　previous　line　of　work；　which　was　
mechanical。

　“These　signs　were　somewhat　worrisome　to　his　assigned　forter；　but　they　were　well　within　normal　
bounds。

　“Then　Kevin　started　to　plain　that　he　was　blacking　out　for　periods　of　time。　They　brought　him　back　to　
me；　and　we　ran　extensive　tests　to　make　sure　there　was　no　hidden　flaw　in　the　host’s　brain。　During　the　
testing；　several　Healers　noted　marked　differences　in　his　behavior　and　personality。　When　we　questioned　
him　about　this；　he　claimed　to　have　no　memory　of　certain　statements　and　actions。　We　continued　to　
observe　him；　along　with　his　forter；　and　eventually　discovered　that　the　host　was　periodically　taking　
control　of　Kevin’s　body。”

　“Taking　control？”　My　eyes　strained　wide。　“With　the　soul　unaware？　The　host　took　the　body　back？”　

　

　Not　strong　enough。

　Would　they　think　me　weak　as　well？Was　I　weak；　that　I　could　not　force　this　mind　to　answer　my　
questions？　Weaker　still；　because　her　living　thoughts　had　existed　in　my　head　where　there　should　be　
nothing　but　memory？　I’d　always　thought　of　myself　as　strong。　This　idea　of　weakness　made　me　flinch。　
Made　me　feel　shame。

　The　Healer　continued。　“Certain　events　occurred；　and　it　was　decided　—”

　“What　events？”

　The　Healer　looked　down　without　answering。

　“What　events？”I　demanded　again。　“I　believe　I　have　a　right　to　know。”

　The　Healer　sighed。　“You　do。　Kevin…　physically　attacked　a　Healer　while　not…　himself。”　He　winced。　
“He　knocked　the　Healer　unconscious　with　a　blow　from　his　fist　and　then　found　a　scalpel　on　her　person。　
We　found　him　insensible。　The　host　had　tried　to　cut　the　soul　out　of　his　body。”

　It　took　me　a　moment　before　I　could　speak。　Even　then；　my　voice　was　just　a　breath。　“What　happened　to　
them？”

　“Luckily；　the　host　was　unable　to　stay　conscious　long　enough　to　inflict　real　damage。　Kevin　was　relocated；　
into　an　immature　host　this　time。　The　troublesome　host　was　in　poor　repair；　and　it　was　decided　there　
wasn’t　much　point　in　saving　him。

　“Kevin　is　seven　human　years　old　now　and　perfectly　normal…　aside　from　the　fact　that　he　kept　the　name　
Kevin；　that　is。　His　guardians　are　taking　great　care　that　he　is　heavily　exposed　to　music；　and　that　is　ing　
along　well。…”　The　last　was　added　as　if　it　were　good　news—news　that　could　somehow　cancel　out　the　
rest。

　“Why？”　I　cleared　my　throat　so　that　my　voice　could　gain　some　volume。　“Why　have　these　risks　not　been　
shared？”

　“Actually；”　the　Seeker　broke　in；　“it　is　very　clearly　stated　in　all　recruitment　propaganda　that　assimilating　
the　remaining　adult　human　hosts　is　much　more　challenging　than　assimilating　a　child。　An　immature　host　is　
highly　remended。”

　“The　wordchallenging　does　not　quite　cover　Kevin’s　story；”　I　whispered。

　“Yes；　well；　you　preferred　to　ignore　the　remendation。”　She　held　up　her　hands　in　a　peacemaking　
gesture　when　my　body　tensed；　causing　the　stiff　fabric　on　the　narrow　bed　to　crackle　softly。　“Not　that　I　
blame　you。　Childhood　is　extraordinarily　tedious。　And　you　are　clearly　not　the　average　soul。　I　have　every　
confidence　that　this　is　well　within　your　abilities　to　handle。　This　is　just　another　host。　I’m　sure　you　will　have　
full　access　and　control　shortly。”

　By　this　point　in　my　observations　of　the　Seeker；　I　was　surprised　that　she’d　had　the　patience　to　wait　for　
any　delay；　even　my　personal　acclimatization。　I　sensed　her　disappointment　in　my　lack　of　information；　and　it　
brought　back　some　of　the　unfamiliar　feelings　of　anger。　

　

　She　stiffened。　“I’m　no　skipper。”

　My　eyebrows　pulled　up　automatically。

　“Another　nickname；”　the　Healer　explained。　“For　those　who　do　not　plete　a　life　term　in　their　host。”

　I　nodded　in　understanding。　We’d　had　a　name　for　it　on　my　other　worlds。　On　no　world　was　it　smiled　
upon。　So　I　quit　quizzing　the　Seeker　and　gave　her　what　I　could。

　“Her　name　was　Melanie　Stryder。　She　was　born　in　Albuquerque；　New　Mexico。　She　was　in　Los　Angeles　
when　the　occupation　became　known　to　her；　and　she　hid　in　the　wilderness　for　a　few　years　before　
finding…　Hmmm。　Sorry；　I’ll　try　that　one　again　later。　The　body　has　seen　twenty　years。　She　drove　to　
Chicago　from…”　I　shook　my　head。　“There　were　several　stages；　not　all　of　them　alone。　The　vehicle　was　
stolen。　She　was　searching　for　a　cousin　named　Sharon；　whom　she　had　reason　to　hope　was　still　human。　
She　neither　found　nor　contacted　anyone　before　she　was　spotted。　But…”　I　struggled；　fighting　against　
another　blank　wall。　“I　think…　I　can’t　be　sure…　I　think　she　left　a　note…　somewhere。”

　“So　she　expected　someone　would　look　for　her？”　the　Seeker　asked　eagerly。

　“Yes。　She　will　be…　missed。　If　she　does　not　rendezvous　with…”　I　gritted　my　teeth；　truly　fighting　now。　
The　wall　was　black；　and　I　could　not　tell　how　thick　it　was。　I　battered　against　it；　sweat　beading　on　my　
forehead。　The　Seeker　and　the　Healer　were　very　quiet；　allowing　me　to　concentrate。

　I　tried　thinking　of　something　else—the　loud；　unfamiliar　noises　the　engine　of　the　car　had　made；　the　jittery　
rush　of　adrenaline　every　time　the　lights　of　another　vehicle　drew　near　on　the　road。　I　already　had　this；　and　
nothing　fought　me。　I　let　the　memory　carry　me　along；　let　it　skip　over　the　cold　hike　through　the　city　under　
the　sheltering　darkness　of　night；　let　it　wind　its　way　to　the　building　where　they’d　found　me。

　Not　me；her。　My　body　shuddered。

　“Don’t　overextend　—”　the　Healer　began。

　The　Seeker　shushed　him。

　I　let　my　mind　dwell　on　the　horror　of　discovery；　the　burning　hatred　of　the　Seekers　that　overpowered　
almost　everything　else。　The　hatred　was　evil；　it　was　pain。　I　could　hardly　bear　to　feel　it。　But　I　let　it　run　its　
course；　hoping　it　would　distract　the　resistance；　weaken　the　defenses。

　I　watched　carefully　as　she　tried　to　hide　and　then　knew　she　could　not。　A　note；　scratched　on　a　piece　of　
debris　with　a　broken　pencil。　Shoved　hastily　under　a　door。　Not　just　any　door。

　“The　pattern　is　the　fifth　door　along　the　fifth　hall　on　the　fifth　floor。　Her　munication　is　there。”

　The　Seeker　had　a　small　phone　in　her　hand；　she　murmured　rapidly　into　it。

　“The　building　was　supposed　to　be　safe；”　I　continued。　“They　knew　it　was　condemned。　She　doesn’t　know　
how　she　was　discovered。　Did　they　find　Sharon？”　

　

　The　question　was　not　mine。

　The　question　wasn’t　mine；　but　it　flowed　naturally　through　my　lips　as　if　it　were。　The　Seeker　did　not　notice　
anything　amiss。

　“The　cousin？　No；　they　found　no　other　human；”　she　answered；　and　my　body　relaxed　in　response。　“This　
host　was　spotted　entering　the　building。　Since　the　building　was　known　to　be　condemned；　the　citizen　who　
observed　her　was　concerned。　He　called　us；　and　we　watched　the　building　to　see　if　we　could　catch　more　
than　one；　and　then　moved　in　when　that　seemed　unlikely。　Can　you　find　the　rendezvous　point？”

　I　tried。

　So　many　memories；　all　of　them　so　colorful　and　sharp。　I　saw　a　hundred　places　I’d　never　been；　heard　their　
names　for　the　first　time。　A　hous